Winter Wonderland in London’s Hyde Park

We have been to Winter Wonderland several time each and every year; without fail it is always a giddy and delightful experience. London’s dusked-drenched afternoons are lit up with fairy lights, Christmas trees and amusement rides; couple this with mulled wine and you have a super seasonal treat.

We have been with one toddler, a three year old and a baby, a big kid and a toddler, and with each changing dynamic, I cannot get over how much fun we have as a family. Its push chair friendly with nappy changing (albeit limited) available; we have even fed our kids a picnic without getting into trouble. Whatever your budget, you can have a great time going visiting this Christmas themed amusement park.

The entry is free to Winter Wonderland, the rides will costs upwards from £2 per child and adults are charged to ride. For the youngest children (and the smallest budgets) head over to Santa Land. They have a free grotto, and loads of small rides just for the littlies and there is an all around gentler atmosphere to the rest of the attraction.

The open Ferris wheel there is far less expensive than the massive one, it goes up very high but is not for the faint hearted or wriggly toddlers. There is also a Thomas-looking train that goes around the entire village in a four minute ride, very fun for little ones.

The energy around the market and the “big kid rides” is a bit manic, as you can imagine, but they also have a circus tent, where you can book ahead for tickets to the show. The big kids rides are proper amusement roller coasters, upside down, swing around and drop-down crazy rides. You and your older children will scream and laugh to their hearts content. It is fun to relive the experience again.

A huge improvement over last year, the ice skating rink is a giant outdoor ring built around the sumptuously decorated bandstand, very “Currier and Ives”. The “Bavarian Market” is larger, more expansive with somewhat greater variety from last year. There are some unique and hand crafted food and gift items that for your Christmas list.

Do not miss your chance to take a slightly different indulgence in the holidays this year, take the family out to Winter Wonderland.